Pride Month 2018 - A Night at the Club
by MissusSlimShady
Summary: Gumi made out with... well, someone the other night. And Rin knows exactly who. Written in celebration of Pride Month 2018! Never be afraid to be yourself!
1. Chapter 1

_Hey guys! I've never done anything like this before, but I decided to enter a Pride Month FanFic contest on the Vocaloid Amino (Join it! It's so fun!) and figured it would be just plain unfair to not post my entry here too. Basically, this will be a short, four chapter story, one chapter each week of this month. I'm super excited to switch things up, and celebrate Pride Month 2018!_

 _Yay! Here we go!_

* * *

My head felt as if someone was inside of, trying to drill their way out. I groaned. I rolled over, squinting heavily at the sunlight that now filed into the room. My vision was hazy, but I was able to make out the features of the room around me. I recognized it instantly. We were in Ia's apartment.

The events of the night before played through my head instantly. The girl's night out, my "I'll only get a little drunk" promise to my friends, the taxi, the club. And, most vividly, Gumi's… drunk escapades.

The four of us had decided we needed a break from work, Miku, Ia, Gumi, and I, and we had _definitely_ had the break we needed. Last night was… crazy.

I pushed myself up into the sitting position. I used to my free hand to rub my eyes as my eyes scanned the room. All three of my friends were passed out around the room; Ia buried under blankets on her bed, Miku curled into a ball in the recliner, and Gumi and I cuddled up on the floor.

My sleepy eyes fluttered down to the green-haired girl. She was curled up in the fetal position only inches away from me, a light blanket laying discarded on the floor next to her, and her hand pulled up to cover her mouth.

I sighed, leaning over her to grab the blanket from the floor behind her. I draped it gently over her shoulders. She didn't move. Her gentle expression remained as her shoulders slowly rose and fell in her sleep.

I looked away. I had to. The alcohol wasn't the only thing sending my mind wild.

I slowly pushed myself off of the floor to stand. My legs were a little shaky, but nothing I couldn't handle. As the first one awake, it was my duty to take care of everyone else. And they would definitely appreciate a warm breakfast for their Saturday-morning hangover.

The door creaked only slightly as I exited the room. Ia's apartment was a bit messy; we had probably hung out here for a while last night before we finally passed out.

 _Ah, geez,_ I thought to myself. _I barely remember getting here last night._ It made sense that we came here, though. Her apartment was only a few blocks away from the club we had decided on.

The fridge was stocked, I was unsurprised to see, and it wasn't hard to pull out a pack of bacon and a dozen eggs. Arranging the stove and the pans, the sound of sizzling bacon soon filled the otherwise silent apartment.

"Rin?" Miku's voice sounded behind me.

I turned over my shoulder. She was still dressed in her outfit from the night before. So was I, in fact, only now, my shirt was wrinkled, untucked, and a few of the buttons were undone. Nothing to be concerned about, thankfully.

"Morning!" I chirped, flipping a spatula full of bacon.

Miku caught sight of the breakfast. "Girl, you spoil us."

I shrugged. "I had the pleasure of being the first one up. It's my job."

She sat at the counter and leaned forward on her elbows. "So," she began, a smirk on her face. "Last night, huh?"

I immediately turned my back to her. "Shut up," I muttered.

"Oh, come on. Don't be like that."

"Please, just, shut up."

"Do you think she'll remember?"

I let out a huff, and didn't respond.

Miku took a deep breath behind me. "Do you… _want_ her to?"

I stirred the eggs. "I just… don't want to talk about it."

"Why not?"

The girls all knew I had always preferred girls over guys. It wasn't a secret, really. Not anymore. I'd been out to them for almost a year now, though I had known this about myself long before.

 _Because she didn't mean it,_ I thought to myself. I couldn't bring myself to admit this to Miku. "I just don't."

"It's not good to keep things pent up like that." I looked over my shoulder to see her arms crossed on the counter. "You need to get it out."

I shook my head, loading a plate full of eggs and bacon. Two pieces of toast popped out of the toaster, and I added those to the plate before I plopped it down in front of Miku. "Here."

Her face brightened. "Dude, sweet." She attacked the plate like a hungry lion.

 _Anything to get her to stop questioning._

"Good morning, ladies!"

The voice that haunted both my favorite dreams and my worst nightmares echoed through the apartment. Standing in the doorway was Gumi, her green hair still messy from sleeping on the floor, and Ia, who's tired eyes glared at the cheerful girl and her… lack of a hangover.

"It's, like, six in the morning," Miku muttered with a face full of food.

Gumi's curious eyes danced over to the clock on the wall. "Nuh huh, it's ten." She pointed comedically at the digital clock that sat on one of Ia's side tables.

Ia pushed past her, her eyes falling on the breakfast Miku was devouring. "Where's mine?" She asked. Out of the four of us, Ia was the only one who had changed into pajamas before bed.

My eyes followed Gumi as she hopped over next to them. "Hm? Breakfast?" She grinned. "Rinny! You shouldn't have."

I chuckled and turned my back on them. Her use of my pet-name made me blush, and I turned to hide it. "I'm working on it," I told them, a tinge of annoyance in my voice.

I could almost hear Gumi's shoulders slump behind me. "Aww, is Rin cranky today?" She mocked.

Another smile rose to my face. She couldn't see it. "I'm hungover, and the sun is really bright, and I'm _hungry_."

Stools scraped the tiled floor as Ia and Gumi sat down with Miku.

"Well you're still a good cook," Miku told me as she threw her fork on her plate.

I gave her a sly smile over my shoulder. "Thank ya."

"So," Ia yawned. "How was everyone's night?"

I loaded up two more plates, and turned to set them down in front of Ia and Gumi.

Gumi's eyes gleamed with joy. She dug in with the same force as Miku.

"Crazy," I replied to Ia. I widened my eyes for emphasis, and hesitated them on Gumi for a second too long.

"How so?" Miku taunted me. She knew exactly 'how so.'

"Crazy in like, I remember nothing about it." I gave her a joking smile, but shot daggers at her with my eyes.

Ia laughed. She knew nothing about our unspoken quarrel, only Miku remembered _that_ from last night. "Well _I_ ," Ia began. "I finally got that bartender's number!" Finally, she was beginning to wake up.

"Ooooooh," Miku and Gumi sang in perfect unison. Giggling, I turned back to my cooking.

"I broke my record," Miku chimed in. "I had eight shots before they kicked me out of my seat."

One egg was enough for me. I cracked them into a bowl as I replied. "You seem so proud to be slowly destroying your liver," I joked.

"I'm here for a good time, not a long time." She stood, and set her dishes in the sink next to me.

Gumi swallowed. "I made out with someone."

The spatula slipped from my hand onto the floor. I yelped, startled.

"Rin?" Ia called out from behind me. "You okay?"

Miku was looking over at me, concerned, yet understanding.

"Y-yeah!" I stammered, picking up the plastic utensil. "The, uh, the grease popped on my hand."

 _Shit, she remembered. No, no, no, no no-_

"Who was it?" Ia asked excitedly.

There was a pause. Against my free will, I slowly looked over my shoulder at Gumi.

The gears were turning into her head. She was staring intently at her half-finished breakfast, her mind clearly somewhere else.

"...I don't remember." She finally answered.

I didn't know whether to yell out a victory screech, or burst into tears.

Ia laughed. "You don't _remember_? How drunk _were_ you?"

She shrugged. "I dunno. I just remember, like, pinning some dude up against the wall by the bathrooms." She laughed with Ia.

Miku turned to face them, chuckling along. I let out a deep breath, and closed my eyes. _Pinning up? Yes. Dude? Nope._

"Did you get his number?" Miku asked.

I scooped up the final plate. Suddenly, I wasn't feeling hungry anymore.

"No," the green-haired girl replied. "Even if I did, it could be _anywhere_."

The stovetop was turned off, the dishes were in the sink, the ingredients were cleaned up, and I had run out of excuses to stay out of the conversation. I took a bite of my food as I turned to face them. Miku still leaned against the counter next to me.

"Was he hot?" Ia probed.

A huge grin spread across Gumi's face. "Okay, _that_ I remember."

"Good or bad?"

"Very, _very_ good."

This time, I choked on my food. My plate landed on the table with a loud _clang_ and I attempted to dislodge the lump of bacon from my throat. I felt Miku hit me hard on the back, and I swallowed properly the second time.

"Wow," I panted. "Today is just already not my day." It was the only excuse I could think of. "I should probably just, like, g-go home." My eyes frantically looked for something to stare at other than Gumi.

"What?" Gumi pulled the puppy dog eyes. "Why?"

"I just," _Agh, why is it suddenly so hard to talk to her?_ "I don't feel good. Hangover part two. I really should just go." The short sentences came out of my mouth like word vomit.

Ia shot me a concerned look. "Are you sure? Do you want me to drive you home?"

My car was parked in one of guest spots outside of the apartment. "No, no. I'll be okay." I eyed my barely-touched breakfast. "And, uh, you guys can have that."

To both my dismay and my delight, Gumi's eyes lit up once more. "Yes! Seconds! I call it!" She pulled the plate towards her before anyone could object.

After some searching, I was able to locate my jacket and my purse (thankfully containing all the items I had put in it the afternoon before), and speedily walked out the door. I gave everyone a pretty half-assed goodbye, which I felt a bit guilty for, but I just had to leave. Ia and Gumi had continued talking about Gumi's 'Prince Charming' from the night before, and I couldn't hear it anymore.

The second I slumped into the driver's seat of my car, my phone rang. It was a text from Miku.

 _Hey girl, look what drunk me took a picture of? Thought you'd want it._

Attached to the text was a dark, yet unmistakable picture of the familiar hallway to the bathroom in our favorite club, featuring Gumi with her disheveled hair, shirt sleeve falling off her shoulder, her back to the camera as she pushed me up against the wall, kissing me.

* * *

 _Gay Rin is so fun tbh. I'm loving this. Thanks for reading! Happy Pride Month :)_


	2. Chapter 2

- _Shopping today. Meet at our table at 2_

I threw my phone down on the couch next to me. The last thing I wanted to do today was leave the safety of my apartment. The TV in front of me blared an episode of South Park, loud enough even the neighbors could probably hear it. The volume was almost maxed out in an attempt to clear my still-spinning head, but it was no use.

It had been a week since I had escaped Ia's apartment, and the scene unfolding within it. During this week, I only left my apartment for work. Nothing else. And Miku had caught on. She had texted our group chat, including her, Ia, Gumi, and I. At least she wasn't directing her impatience directly on me.

My phone buzzed again. It was Ia.

- _I'll be there_

Soon after, Gumi responded as well.

 _-Yay! I just got paid, too!_

I took a deep breath. Even thinking of her made me want to stare at the picture Miku had sent me. The idea of its existence terrified me, because there was physical proof of… the event, but I also couldn't bring myself to delete it. Or even to tell Miku to delete it. Not even was the only proof, but it was also the only thing I was able to keep from that night. A souvenir, almost.

A pang of guilt shot through me. Gumi knew nothing of this, and here I was, hoarding this moment to myself. If she saw this picture…

I was staring at it again. I hadn't even realized I had opened it. Locking my phone and setting it back on the couch, I returned to the show.

It instantly vibrated again.

- _Rinny? You going?_

Only one person still called me by that name. My finger found my temple and rubbed it as I stared at the text. I couldn't say no to her. Her puppy dog eyes shot into my mind, and I began typing.

- _Yeah. Sure thing_

She instantly replied.

- _Yayyyy!_

The clock read 12:34. After this episode, I'd start getting ready.

I lied to myself. I had watched a couple more episodes, and was now walking up to the corner table at the food court, a full half an hour late. Oddly, I wasn't in a hurry.

"There you are!" Ia scolded me. "We've been waiting!"

I shrugged, trying to avoid the eyes of the green-haired girl across from her. "I, uh, took a nap."

"Tsk, tsk, tsk," Gumi waved a finger at me. "Can never get enough beauty sleep, huh Rinny?"

"I guess not." My hands folded in front of me. "So, where to?"

Miku had watched me walk up silently. I could tell she was overly aware of my nervousness around our friend, as he was watching our interactions carefully. Finally, she stood. "I need makeup!"

"To MAC it is!" Ia yelled triumphantly. Her and Gumi rose with Miku.

"Good idea," Gumi cheered. "The first store you take me to is the one where I'll spend the most money," she muttered.

I grinned. We began our walk through the crowded food court.

Gumi fell into step next to me. "Are you gonna get anything?" She asked me.

I continued to fiddle with my hands. "I'm not sure."

"I'll help you find the good stuff," she promised. "We can do makeovers!"

I chuckled. "Um, maybe." It really wasn't my thing, but with the excited look on her face, she could convince me to do just about anything.

The store was on the first floor, only a few steps away from the food court. Gumi bounced inside ahead of us with Ia in tow. Miku took the opportunity to slide up next to me.

"You okay?" She asked me.

I stared after Gumi as I answered. "I… I'm fine."

"You know, you could just… tell her."

I shook my head. "I can't."

"Why not?" Miku veered off to the side, scouring the shelves for products. I followed her.

My mind worked to find an answer. "Because she expects some hot guy. _Guy,_ Miku. Not girl."

Miku shrugged. "Maybe she's into you."

I couldn't let my hopes up with talk like that. "She said a hot _guy_." I dismissed. I frowned.

She watched my expression warp sadly. "Well," she turned away from me. "Just let me know if you need anything, okay?"

I nodded wordlessly. She continued looking through the shelves, and I turned on my heels to go find Ia and Gumi.

They were browsing the eyeliner section. As I approached, Gumi would pick up one of the pens, excitedly showing it to Ia, and then set it back down. Ia did the same. When they saw me, Ia smiled, and Gumi's eyes lit up in that butterfly-inducing smile.

"Rinny! Look!" She waved something at me. "This one sparkles!"

I laughed as I became close enough to look at what she was waving in my direction. "...Interesting," I laughed as I looked it over.

She pouted like a two-year old. "It's cute!" She insisted.

"I don't think you need it," I pointed out.

Her bright eyes blinked blankly in response. "Why not?"

I couldn't stop myself. "Your eyes are pretty enough without it."

Ia shot a look at me from over Gumi's shoulder.

Gumi stared at me blankly for a moment, and then her signature grin reappeared. She punched my jokingly in the shoulder. "Shut up!" She laughed, placing the eyeliner back on the shelves.

We continued looking through the products until Gumi's hands were overflowing. Ia had decided to save her money for clothes, and Miku was easily picked out across the store.

"You guys aren't getting anything?" Gumi asked.

We shook our heads.

"I want new jeans," Ia reasoned.

"Okay! I'm gonna go get Miku, and we'll meet you guys out front, okay?"

We nodded in unison. My eyes followed her as she ran through the store as she weaved through the customers, eventually finding Miku.

"Rin." Ia's tone was accusatory. "What was _that_ about?"

I gave her a sideways glance, and didn't reply. I didn't really know how to. Instead, we both made our way out to the front of the store.

We sat in silence before Gumi and Miku emerged. Miku carried only a single small bag, while Gumi flaunted two full-size grocery bags.

"Rain check," she told us, setting them at her feet for a moment. "My Mom just texted me, and needs me to go pick up my brother from school."

Ia frowned. "Aw, that sucks. We'll do something this weekend," she promised.

Gumi beamed. "Okay!" She took another deep breath, and picked up her bags again. "I'll see you guys later!"

"See ya, girlie," Miku waved.

"Bye Rinny!" She ran off.

I sighed as I watched her skip away.

"Rin," Ia said again.

I avoided her eyes.

There was a pause, and Miku narrowed her eyes "What's going on?"

"Rin flirted with her."

Miku's eyes widened. She sat down next to Ia and I as she pulled her phone. "Rin… can I show her?"

Frustration boiled up in me. "Why do you have to _show_ her? Can't you just tell her?"

But Miku had already pulled the picture up, and aimed her phone at Ia.

The girl's eyes widened. "Dude." Her gaze snapped to me. " _You're_ Gumi's Prince Charming?"

I stood, and turned towards them. My frustration had turned to anger. "No, Ia!" I almost screamed. A couple people sent sideways glances towards me. Embarrassed, I crossed my arms and lowered my head. "I'm not anyone's 'Prince Charming'," I muttered. "I'm just an idiot who's fallen for a straight girl."

My outrage seemed to infect Miku as well. "Well if she's kissing you, she's obviously _not_ straight, Rin!" She retorted.

My argument caught in my throat. I stared at my shoes.

"You need to tell her." Miku's voice wasn't nearly as gentle as it had been when we entered the store.

 _I know,_ I thought to myself. _But how?_

"Why?" I asked, even though I knew exactly why.

Miku didn't respond. Her shoulders slumped, and she took a deep breath.

"Come on," Ia chimed in, clearly bummed at the somber mood change. "Let's just enjoy the day, okay?" She looked back and forth between Miku and I. "Nothing a little girl's time can't fix, right?"

 _Girl's time is what started this in the first place,_ I resentfully thought to myself.

Despite my mood, Miku and I followed Ia to our next store. The two girls were happily chatting away minutes after our argument.

I tried to participate. But the weight of this secret was beginning to weigh me down, and I needed to do something about it.

* * *

 _Thank you guys for reading! Nothing much to announce today :) Chapter three will be up next week!_


	3. Chapter 3

_This is… ohmygosh. I'm so happy with this. Ohmygosh._

 _Also, cussing. Not a bunch, but yeah. I probably should have warned you guys sooner im sorry_

* * *

The radio was blaring, the light of the setting sun was pouring in through the window, and the smell of chocolate chip cookies wafted through my apartment. For the first time since the whole incident at the club, I was completely relaxed.

An alarm sounded from the oven, signaling that this next batch was done. My oven-mitted hand reached in the retrieve them. I licked my lips as I set the twelve cookies on the stop top. The only cookie sheep I had was small, and the only recipe I owned for my Dad's famous chocolate chip cookies prepared a batch of about sixty cookies. Four times in the oven for this guy, poor pan. Anything for some nice, crisp comfort food.

This was the second batch. They had to rest for a few minutes so they wouldn't come off the pan in small, gooey pieces, so I kept myself occupied by scrolling through my Twitter feed on my phone. Most of the posts were just people enjoying the onset of summer weather. Nothing too interesting.

No, I was much more interested in the season finale of Game of Thrones tonight. I wouldn't bake myself sixty cookies for nothing.

 _They should be fine now,_ I decided. One by one, I gently lifted the soft cookies off of the pan, and on to a paper towel. They still weren't completely cooled, but that was okay. The sooner I could finish these, the better.

I hummed along to the radio as I sipped at the glass of wine sitting half-full on the counter. The scene around me appealed to all of my senses. It really was a beautiful night outside. The sky was filled with an array of colors from the setting sun; orange, yellow, red, pink. The street below, surprisingly, wasn't crowded with noisy traffic, and, sipping my wine, I had the shortest moment of complete contentment. Work was behind me for the day, and my shift was covered for tomorrow. I didn't have a worry in the world.

But, of course, I did.

My smile faded as my mind flashed once more to the secret buried deep within me. Gumi had texted me a couple times since our shopping spree a few days ago, attempting to make conversation with me, but I had found it so difficult to talk to her lately. I couldn't text her without the urge to pull up our picture once again. I couldn't look at her without getting lost in those eyes or remembering her lips on mine. It was so hard to focus. And it sucked. I hadn't accepted the fact that there was no way I could stay friends with her now, since I always thought of her like this. I refused to accept it. But I was beginning to see the truth in it.

I dropped my now-empty wine glass back on the table. The sunset had lost my interest, I feared my next batch of cookies may burn, and a car honked from the street below me.

The alarm went off, and I pulled out the next batch of steaming treats. They had not burnt, luckily, but I would let the pan cool off longer than last time just in case. The bowl of cookie dough was almost empty.

I nearly dropped the pan when a loud knock sounded from my front door. My eyes rolled in their sockets. It was probably my stupid neighbor again, complaining about the timer on my oven, no doubt. Apron still on, I trudged over to the front door prepared for another argument.

Instead, Gumi stood outside my apartment with her usual childish grin, a smile so big her eyes were closed. She was dressed in her long sleeve, baggy pajamas. In one hand was a bottle of wine, and in the other was a grocery bag full of food. Junk food, I imagined.

"Surprise!" She sang. "Game of Thrones night!"

I didn't even try to hide the shocked expression on my face. "W-what? You hate that show." My body moved back, without my mind's approval, motioning her to come in.

"No I don't!" She lied as she set the goodies down on the counter. "I just… got bored of the older seasons." Her eyes landed on the cookies. She gasped. "No. Way."

It's funny how things work out. The only person I would dare let touch my family's secret cookies was Gumi. And she was the only one here.

She glanced around the apartment, her green hair swaying as she looked back and forth. "Where's Miku and Ia?" She asked.

"Hm? Not here," I answered. I began scooping the cooled cookies onto the paper towel.

"Weird," she commented, hoisting herself up onto the counter next to me. "They said they'd be here."

I raised an eyebrow. She was sitting really close to the paper towel containing a sea of treats. "You all planned a surprise for me?"

She nodded proudly. "Yup! My idea!" She crossed her arms comedically. "I said, 'Guys! I _won't_ let Rinny spend her favorite night of the year alone! So meet tonight, at her house, six o' clock!' But…" Her arms fell limply to her sides. "I was late, so I figured they would already be here."

My eyes darted to the clock. It was 6:30. _You bitches,_ I thought to myself. I knew exactly what their plans were. And they included being anywhere but here, with us, tonight. At that moment, I had conflicting emotions of being horribly excited at spending the entire night with her, and also terrified of the same thing.

"But they're not." She pouted, settling more comfortably on the counter.

"Whoa whoa!" I called with a laugh. "You're going to squish the cookies!"

She shot me a questioning look before glancing down at her hand. It was settled on the counter mere millimeters away from the nearest cookies.

I returned my attention to the current tray. A mischievous grin spread across Gumi's face, and I didn't see it until it was too late.

She rose her hand, and smashed it into the nearest cookie. "Oops!" She yelled as she scooped up the mushy remains, and chucked them right at me.

The gooey mess splattered right into my face, causing me to flinch. I narrowed my eyes, unable to keep the smile off of my face as I slowly turned my gaze to her.

She howled with laughter at the sight of me. "You look like you have shit on your face!" She yelled.

"You," I pointed my spatula at her. "Have made a grave mistake."

She didn't stop laughing. "And w-why's that?"

This time, it was my turn to wear the grin. "Because I…" I trailed off as I scooped up one of the just cooled cookies of the pan. "I have a weapon!" Before she could react, I pulled the top of the plastic spatula back, catapulting it right onto her cheek.

She jumped down from the counter and sprinted to the other side of my kitchen. "You didn't!" Our laughter echoed throughout the apartment.

I loaded up another cookie. "Oh, I did. And I will!" I pulled back the spatula again, this time aiming upward to launch it through the whole kitchen. Letting it fly, Gumi had plenty of time to dodge the projectile, and it splattered uselessly against the kitchen wall where she had been standing.

"Hah!" She taunted. "You missed me, and you have a mess to clean up now!"

"Oh, I hit you once!" I responded, waving my spatula at her. "So it's already worth it!"

"How about you stop hogging all the ammo and we turn this into a _real_ fight!"

Thus began the great cookie standoff of June, 2018. The two of us sprinted around the kitchen, dodging, bobbing, and weaving, as well as loading up and throwing mushy cookies across my entire kitchen. It was making a mess, and greatly decreasing the amount of sweets I'd be eating tonight, but that didn't matter too much to me at the time.

She had found her way to the paper towels filled with chocolate chip bullets. She threw another one at me, which would have hit me square in the face, but I swatted my spatula at just the right time to deflect it into the glass cover of the stove. Gumi jumped away, shooting me an impressed nod. But our peace only lasted a moment before we continued our battle.

Eventually, we were at a standoff. Each of us halfway across the kitchen, and what remained of the cookes sitting on the counter between us. It was an old fashioned, wild-west stare down. I leaned on the balls of my feet, ready to spring into action.

She wore a determined expression as well, staring me down. "This town ain't big enough for the two of us," she mocked. Her accent was horrible.

I giggled, and she immediately took the chance to spring forward onto the cookies. I followed her lead, impressed by her distraction techniques. We met in the middle, and, instead of reaching for more sweets, I only peeled and smeared off the mush that had already accumulated on my face, my clothes, and in my hair, throwing it at her in return. We were only an arms length away. This time, I was able to direct my shots more carefully, smearing my chocolate covered hands across her face, in her hair, wherever I could get them, really.

But she was able to get some cheap shots in, too. I was sure I was going to need a shower after this. Luckily, Game of Thrones didn't start until 8 pm.

I gave her one last good swipe down her cheek before we stopped, both panting, and both covered in chocolate. She met my eyes for only a second before she started laughing again, those damn green eyes sparkling with amusement and laughter. She grabbed one of the extra paper towels, trying to get the chocolate off of her face.

"You got me good," she laughed.

I was in a trance. I just nodded.

And then, to make matters worse, she took a step towards me, and began to dabble at the chocolate on my face, too. "And I got you good, too." She snickered.

We were inches away from each other. Being two or three inches taller than her, I could only nod down at her in response as she continued happily dabbing away at the cookies on my face. She had gotten most of hers, save for a stripe of chocolate up her cheek, a couple crumbs in the line of her hair, and a little chocolate chip stuck right next to her lips.

If she noticed me staring, she didn't say anything. Her eyes continued to move around my face, just as mine did to hers. "There," she chirped, lowering her hand. "All bet-"

"I want to kiss you," I breathed out. "Like, really bad." The words were out of my mouth before I could stop them. They didn't even register until Gumi's expression was placed with one of shock.

A blush rose to her face. "Wh-what?" She whispered in disbelief.

The apartment was silent now except for our heavy breathing. I didn't know how to respond, but she didn't move away, or flinch, or protest, she only stared at me. Expectantly.

My hands cupped her face, brushing stray green locks out of her hair, before I drew her lips to mine. She tasted like chocolate and wine, which was the best flavor combination in the world as far as I was concerned. Only then did the reality of the situation dawn on me. The wine bottle she had brought was next to us on the counter, only a single sip less than full, and I was kissing Gumi again. Sober, aware Gumi.

And she was kissing me back.

After a painfully short moment, she pulled away, her heavy-lidded eyes looking up at me.

"It was you, wasn't it?" She asked softly.

My sudden confidence flowed out of me instantly, replaced with guilt. My hands fell limply to my sides. I said nothing. But she was waiting for a response, and she wasn't about to take silence for an answer.

I snatched my phone from the counter next to me, unlocking it with shaky hands. The picture was first in my camera roll. With a deep breath, I showed it to her.

She gently took the phone from my hands. There was a pause. "Why didn't you tell me?"

I crossed my arms nervously. "I thought you'd be…" My eyes fell on the counter. "...disappointed."

She stared at the picture a while longer, her face expressionless. Finally, a small smile showed itself. "I was so wasted," she giggled lightly.

There were no laughs in me. The best I could do was a half-assed smile. _This is it,_ the voice in my head told me. _This is the end. Look what you did._

Gumi set the phone back on the counter. "I'm not."

My gaze rose up to her. "What?"

Her smile grew wider. "I'm not disappointed."

My heart stopped beating. I swear, for a few moments, I felt like I'd died somewhere in the cookie fight and had made my way to the Gates of Heaven. My brain couldn't form words.

My dumbfounded expression seemed to amuse her further. She laughed softly again, before leaning forward, planting her forehead into the crook of my neck and snaking her arms around my waist. My arms wrapped around her in return.

She slowly breathed out against my skin in a content sigh, and a shiver ran down my spine. "I'm really glad it was you," she continued. Her voice was muffled as she spoke into my shirt.

This time it was my turn to chuckle. "Yeah," I muttered. "Me too."

She lifted her head up. There was that dreamy sparkle again. "We should probably get cleaned up for the show," she pointed out.

Our eyes flickered down to the paper towel. About twenty cookies were missing, with some of the rest crumpled and crushed into heaps instead of cookies. The floor, counters, and sections of the walls were trashed, too.

"Yeah," I sighed at my apartment. "At least we smell good, though," I joked.

She buried her head into my shoulder, laughing softly.


	4. Chapter 4

_The epic conclusion :)_

* * *

"You do realize how big of a commitment this is, right?"

"I know. And I'm ready."

I crossed my arms in front of the green-haired girl. "And we've only been together for a few weeks-"

"It's okay, Rin. I'm ready."

An apprehensive sigh escaped me. "Okay…" I was excited, yet uncertain. But, realizing she was set in her ways, I turned around and pushed open the glass double doors.

The adoption center was full of sound. People chatted away at desks about the process, the fees, immunizations, etcetera. It echoed off the marble floors, making it seem even louder. There was a door at the end of the reception room. People walked excitedly through it.

"So," I asked her, looked towards the door. "Do you want a cat or a dog?"

She slipped her hand into mine. "Which do you want?"

I knew exactly what I wanted, but this was her idea. "Nope," I shook my head decisively. "You choose."

"Fine." She pointed her nose in the air. "I want whatever you want." A sly smile curled at her lips.

I took a deep breath. "Let's just go look."

The door at the end of the hall split into two rooms, the right leading to the dogs, left to the cats.

"Which way, captain?" Gumi asked. Her fingers were still intertwined with mine.

I gave her hand a gentle squeeze. "Dogs?" I asked with a smile. Might as well go for what I wanted.

Her face lit up, and I knew I had made the right choice. We turned right, and entered the kennels.

"Ugh, we can't stay here long," I told her. "I hate seeing these guys all caged up like this."

Gumi nodded in agreement. Her expression was grim. "At least most of the cages are empty. Plus, this is really good shelter. No kill, of course. That's why I wanted to come here."

She was right on both counts. Over half of the kennels were empty. When Gumi told me where this place was, I was baffled. We were two towns over from our home; a two and a half hour drive. If it was a good place, though, it was definitely worth it.

"I want an older dog," I blurted out. I hadn't planned on telling her that. I wanted her to pick.

"Why?" She asked. She didn't seem opposed to the idea, just curious.

"Because they're calm and cool. And I don't want them to stay here." I didn't need to finish the thought for Gumi to understand.

"Okay!" She chirped. "What restrictions does your apartment have?"

I shook my head. "None. First-floor is the best."

She leaned her head on my shoulder. "Sweet."

"Now comes the hard part," I told her.

There were other people searching through the cages. Occasionally, a clerk would let a dog out on a leash, and, followed by an excited family, would walk back to the playroom. The two of us stood next to the door, unsure of what to do next.

"...Let's just go look, I guess." Gumi was as unsure as I was.

We started through the room, dodging little kids and excited dogs on leashes. We passed through several kennels, each with a happily panting pup staring back at us. It was heartbreaking to walk by them, but that was another reason I wanted an older dog. I knew the younger ones would get adopted.

"Rin!" Gumi stopped, and I knew already we were getting them. The first dog, I had thought to myself. The first dog is the dog we get. I can only get attached to one.

And the dog was definitely worth getting attached to. On the other side of the glass was a giant, skinny dog that I almost mistook for a small horse. It was curled up into a ball against the wall, facing us. It's eyes were open. Seeing us, it's long, skinny tail started to wag gently against the floor.

"Gumi," I gawked. "That thing is the size of my couch."

"But it's so cute!" She nearly screamed.

It's coat was dark grey, with hints of white appearing around the muzzle. It's feet were huge, it's head looked like it could barely fit in my lap, and it's ears flopped down it's face adorably. I had to agree. Adorable.

"Were you two interested in Penny?" A deep voice sounded behind me. It was another clerk, one I had seen escorting a family and their future dog into the playrooms. He was an older man, with dark hair and hints of stubble on his chin. He wore the same uniform as the other clerks.

I couldn't help but laugh. "Penny? Like… a cent?" My eyes wandered over the huge dog. "Is that a joke?"

The attendant smiled. "Yes, actually."

"I like it," Gumi added. She had released her hold on my hand and now crouched down next to the glass to get a better look at Penny the dog.

"She's a great dane," he explained to us. "She's six years old, which is pretty old for a dog of her size."

I nodded along as he spoke, my eyes not leaving the giant.

"She's very calm and gentle. And, unfortunately, a cuddler," the attendant added with a smile.

"Do they need exercise?" Gumi asked from the floor.

"No, not much. Especially once they start to get older."

"She's a lazy dog?" I asked with a smile.

The attendant nodded again.

Gumi flashed me a smile. "An introvert. Perfect for you."

"Oh whatever," I joked back.

"Can we…" she trailed off as she stood, facing the attendant. "Can we see her? Like, in the rooms?"

"Of course! Let me go grab a leash for you guys."

The dog was a gentle giant. She walked calmly with the attendant to the back rooms with Gumi and I in tow. The solid white room contained two chairs with a table between them and a giant basket of dog toys. I took one seat while Gumi immediately plopped down on the floor with Penny, holding her hand out. The attendant sat in the chair next to me while Gumi gently stroked the dog's enormous face.

"She's so calm," I noticed. "How long has she been here?"

"A couple months," replied the attendant. "She doesn't do well with kids, and she doesn't like other dogs much, either." He frowned slightly.

"That's okay," I told him. "We don't have to worry about either."

He then went on to talk about the adoption cost, her shots, her favorite toys, and the food they regularly fed her. But I couldn't listen no matter how hard I tried to concentrate. I could only focus on the girl in front of me as she stared at this giant beast in front of her with wonder in her eyes. The dog leaned her head into Gumi's hand, clearly enjoying her company. Gumi seemed equally as thrilled. Her eyes wide, her lips parted, and her expression full of childish joy and curiosity. I watched on as the dog suddenly stood, walking to where Gumi sat cross-legged on the ground, and plopped her tail right into my girlfriend's lap.

"Ack-" Gumi laughed. "Penny, no-"

The dog did not listen. She curled up in her lap, her hind paws spilling out over Gumi's crossed legs. It was a hilarious sight.

"I think she likes you," he said next to me. It was the first clear sentence I had heard from him."

There was no mistaking the love I felt while I watched Gumi struggle, trying to find a comfortable position while also not disturbing our new dog.

"Dude. This thing is a horse."

"I'm in love."

Miku and Ia had been the first to come back to my apartment and greet the newest member of our family. We had all gathered in a circle on the floor. The first thing Penny did once she entered the door of my apartment was climb up on the couch and fall asleep.

"I can't say I'm happy you impulse-bought a hundred pound dog…" Miku trailed off. "But I'm happy you impulse-bought a hundred pound dog."

"We are too," Gumi beamed, leaning on my shoulder.

Ia shook her head at us. "You two are so cute, it makes me want to puke."

"That's what we're here for," I told her. Gumi laughed into my shoulder.

"You guys have, like, a baby now," Miku went on, her blue eyes never leaving the sleeping dog.

"I already bought the 'Dog Momma' bumper stickers." Gumi giggled.

"I can't believe it," Ia let out a laugh. "There's a bear on your couch."

The doorbell rang, and I jumped up. Pizza. Paying the delivery guy, I set the pizza boces unceremoniously on the counter. "Food!" I yelled.

They gathered around as I grabbed us all plates. "Careful," I softly warned the green-haired girl next to me as I handed her a plate of steaming cheese pizza. "It's still hot."

She grinned shyly. "Thank you."

Ia swallowed a piece of her pizza, watching us enviously. "Maybe I should go gay, too."

Our gazes snapped to the other girls once we realized they were watching us. A blush rose to Gumi's face, making her even cuter in my eyes.

Miku shrugged next to the blonde. "Maybe I'll get drunk next time we go out and start making out with you."

This time, Gumi dropped her plate on the counter and hid behind my shoulder. "Stoooop~" she groaned. I could feel her hiding her face in my back.

I just laughed. Looking over my apartment, with my two best friends in front of me, my girlfriend behind me, my brand new horse-dog glancing sideways at us from the couch, Grey's Anatomy on the TV, and fresh pizza sitting on the counter, I suddenly felt overwhelmed with emotion. Everything was so perfect. Everything had turned out so great.

I turned around, wrapping the red-faced girl in a tight hug. She seemed confused at first, but cuddled up against me.

"You guys are the best," I said softly into her sweet-smelling hair.

"Aw," Ia's bright voice sounded from behind me. "Rin's getting all emotional. I'm gonna cry."

"Girl, this episode hasn't even started yet," Miku giggled. "Keep your tears to yourself."

I didn't let go of our hug. Gumi sighed in my arms, and then leaned back to look up at me. She stood up on her tiptoes, pecking me quickly on the cheek.

"Yeah," she confirmed, our eye contact unbreaking. Her face was still a bit red, her lips slightly parted, and her eyes glimmered in their beautiful green like they always did. "You guys are the best."

* * *

 _D'awwwwwwww. Rin and Gumi are that puppy-love couple._

 _Hehe. Get it? Puppy love?_

 _Thank you guys for reading this celebration of Pride Month 2018! And remember, never be afraid to be yourself!_


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